Greetings, dear readers and welcome to the first Australian Unions Member Benefits update for 2019! In our first edition for the year we have a special union member deal on health insurance from HCF, we highlight the new Sally McManus' book 'On Fairness', info about union T Shirt Saturdays and there are three double passes to the movies to win!

I’ve been a casual here for nearly 3 years. Last year I asked my manager if I could be made permanent They said they’d think about it but although I’ve asked a couple of times since I haven’t heard anything back. I don’t understand why not as I work pretty much the same shifts every week. It’s really important to me as my partner and I are saving for a house deposit and I probably won’t get a loan if I’m casual. Is there anything I can do?

R asks: There was a thing on the noticeboard at work from the owner saying that those of us who worked last Saturday night would have our pay docked as a tray of glasses was dropped when someone slipped loading the glass washer and everything got broken. The notice said that to be fair they would divide the cost of replacing the glasses between us so one person wouldn’t have to pay for the whole lot. Can they do this? It was a busy night accident and it just doesn’t seem fair.

My boss has put up a notice at work saying if we want to apply for the increase in our wages that’s meant to come in on July 1st we need to email him by the Friday our pays are done, which is next week and he’ll let us know his decision asap. Is this true? And if it is, what should I put in my application?